Innovative stormwater management, tree preservation and sense of community are just a few topics featured during a tour of River Bluffs earlier this week.
Thirty members of the North Carolina Coastal Branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers visited River Bluffs to learn about the development’s award-winning design and construction techniques. The group focused mainly on River Bluffs stormwater management approach that makes good use of the land to absorb stormwater instead of collecting it in unsightly and wasteful ponds.
Burrows Smith, managing partner, and developer of River Bluffs led the meeting and tour with the help of Howard Resnik, president of CSD Engineering; Mike Randall, retired supervisor of the North Carolina Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources; and Lauren Kolodij, deputy director of the North Carolina Coastal Federation. The model development was showcased for its use of low-impact development approaches, which are designed to mimic the natural hydrology of the land by using small-scale techniques that infiltrate rainwater. River Bluffs directs its rainwater to perforated pipes that allow it to soak into the ground.
Meeting and tour participants discussed the need to advance LID in future developments. River Bluffs sets a standard that will hopefully become the norm in how we develop coastal properties. Smith and the other tour leaders indeed demonstrated the economic, environmental and social benefits of creating a community development that is conscious of its surrounding environment, trees, and wildlife. Doing so not only creates healthier coastal waterways but can also save money and attract buyers.
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